Santa Ana City Council Symbolically Supports Occupy

The Santa Ana City Council officially endorsed Occupy Santa Ana's goals at last night's meeting according to to the Orange County Register. The governing body passed a resolution 6-1, which stated "Members of Occupy movements throughout the nation and Santa Ana community members are frustrated by the continuing economic crisis that threatens individual, family and city finances, and our community's quality of life, and are participating in Occupy protests to make their voices heard."

The lone dissenter in the vote was

Councilmember Carlos "Busty" Bustamante

who apparently still has trouble wrapping his brain around what the movement stands for. Busty's support of the One Percent is well-known (PBID, Renaissance Plan, Chapter One: The Modern Bistro, et al), and his slobbering over those lords borders on the pornographic. "Are you protesting successful people? Are you protesting people who work hard?" he asked. "I think probably not. Some people have said that. It doesn't make any sense to me."

Activist Sam Aresheh viewed last night's resolution as little more than a symbolic gesture. "My thoughts are it's a bunch of bullshit," said Aresheh. "When you endorse something and you support somebody, you follow up with action."

For Aresheh, that action would include granting the group the right to use equipment that would safely facilitate a long-term assembly. "They could release five resolutions that support us," he said, "but in the end, it doesn't mean anything."